Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
“It is happening.”
“Fuck.”
I hurried to my pajama pants and roared, “David! Blue! Giorgio!”
* * *
Nerve-shattering minutes passed. I was a wreck, worried that we might forget something or the baby would come too soon.
Wassily phoned Valentina and Maxwell.
Baba promised to sit in with Paolo’s lessons and take care of him until we returned.
It must have taken us twenty minutes to leave the mansion.
David made sure that streets were blocked to keep all traffic away.
Next, he had a team of police cars escort us to the hospital.
Once there, two doctors and five nurses waited for us with a wheelchair.
In a matter of minutes, we rushed to her private hospital suite on the top floor.
When we got Emily comfortable, Blue gathered Harlem Crew and began instructing them on securing the hospital.
It had been so quiet for the rest of this pregnancy that I constantly wondered if my enemies lurked within the shadows waiting to strike at my weakest moment like during my mouse’s delivery.
Thank God, King David had more of the Brotherhood surrounding the hospital.
Meanwhile, Giorgio and Wassily remained by the door with their guns out.
Soon, Blue and David returned and relieved them.
Probably not interested in all the fluids and the sight of labor, Giorgio rushed out of there.
David nodded at me. “Everything is secure. Misha’s people are monitoring anything that we can’t see.”
“Good.” I turned to my mouse and held her hand. “How are you feeling, mysh?”
She squeezed my fingers. “Not bad. I thought my contractions would hurt, but they just feel like intense menstrual cramps.”
I exhaled. “Thank God.”
* * *
Hours later, Emily released bloodcurdling screams. When she wasn’t screaming, she cursed me for getting her pregnant and yelled at the doctors to give her some pain relievers. At times she made primal noises that I didn’t know she could and began threatening people with violence.
I felt helpless. The most I could do was massage her back and shoulders. When she was thirsty, I wiped the beads of sweat off her face and held a glass to her lips to give her sips of water. But I knew all of that wasn’t enough.
For hours and hours, my mouse endured, coated in sweat and grabbing hold to my arms.
It wasn’t until the middle of the night when her cervix was fully dilated.
Many times, she dug her fingers deep into my arms, gripping and clawing at me.
It hurt, but I could take it. She was the one in true anguish. And I was so fucking amazed by her strength. “You’re doing great, mysh.”
“Fuck you, Kaz!”
“Yes, baby.”
Dr. Stovall raised his mask over his face and placed gloves on. “It appears that you are ready, Emily.”
“Then, get it started!” Tears streamed down her face as she squeezed my arm. “Jesus Christ!”
Dr. Stovall placed his gloved hands along her opening. “You are fully dilated, Emily.”
“Give me more of those drugs!” She yanked at my arm. “Tell him, Kaz! Make him do it now! It hurts!”
Dr. Stovall signaled for the nurses to come over. “I can see the head. Everyone get ready.”
Another powerless hour went by as I watched God and Emily show their power to me.
* * *
An hour later, Emilio slipped out, coated in muck and wagging his arms and legs. An umbilical cord was attached to his belly and coming out of my mouse.
“Fuck!” Emily let her head fall back against the pillows. “Oh my God! I’m never doing that again. Never.”
Stunned, I held on to Emily with my eyes wide and my mouth parted, looking at our son.
Dr. Stovall suctioned his mouth and nose. “Grab the umbilical cord clamps.”
A nurse hurried over with two plastic clamps and placed them both inches apart from each other on the umbilical cord.
Dr. Stovall held my little Emilio and looked to me. “Are you ready to cut the cord?”
Terrified, I slowly let go of Emily and hurried over. “What do I do?”
A nurse handed me small scissors. “Cut in the center. Right between the clamps.”
“That will not hurt him?”
Dr. Stovall smiled. “We practiced, Kazimir. Go ahead.”
I went over and followed the nurse’s directions. Once I cut the cord, Dr. Stovall wrapped Emilio in a blanket and carried him away.
Oh my God.
I quickly returned to Emily.
Exhaustion showed all over her face as she just stared at the ceiling. Panting, she whispered, “How. . .is. . .he?”
“Beautiful. Perfect. Just like you.” My eyes watered as I held her. “You were amazing.”
Emilio cried out on the other side of the room.
I snapped my view his away. “Dear God. We have a baby, mysh.”
“We do.” Emily’s chest rose and fell. “Don’t let me fall asleep, Kaz. I want to hold him.”
“But, you are tired.”
“Don’t. . .let me. . .”
“I will do my best.” I wiped sweat off her forehead, leaned over, and placed several kisses on her forehead. “I love you so fucking much, mysh.”